Highway crossing signal system



1938- c. H. DORSCHEL 1 2,128,203

HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed NOV. 14, 1936 INVENTOR C, H Dorsche Patented Aug. 23, 1938 HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL SYSTEM Cyril H. Dorsehel, Roch General Railway Sign Application November 14,

ester, N. Y., assignor to al Company, Rochester,

1936, Serial No. 110,867

1 Claim. (Cl. 246- 130) This invention relates in general to a highway crossing system, and has more particular reference to a system involving a visual warning signal, crossing gates and time delay means interposed between the initiations of the visual signal and the operation of the gates.

In locations where highways cross railways it is desirable to protect highway traffic against danger from oncoming trains, by giving a proper signal a sufficient time ahead of the arrival of a train at the crossing, to enable the highway traffic either to stop short of, or to cross, the railway.

In accordance with the above, it is proposed, by this invention, to provide means whereby, upon the approach of a train to a highway crossing, a visual signal will first be given, and then a short time thereafter, crossing gates will be closed barring progress of highway traflic across the tracks.

More specifically, it is proposed, upon the approach of a train to the highway, to cause a track relay to release and energize light signals for warning highway traffic of the approach of the train. The track relay also cuts into operation a thermal time measuring device which, at the expiration of a predetermined period of time, unlocks or releases for operation, or causes to automatically operate, the crossing gates. In this manner there is no danger that a vehicle approaching the tracks will be taken by surprise by the visual signal, and before it can either stop, or cross the tracks, have the crossing gates close so as to cause the vehicle to crash into the gates or to be trapped on the track between the gates.

In the single figure of drawing there is shown, in a wholly diagrammatic manner, and without any intent whatsoever of limiting the invention to what is shown, one form which the invention can assume.

Referring now to the drawing, a stretch of railway track I, is intersected by a highway 2, the track adjacent the highway being track sectioned by means of insulating joints 3, with a usual track battery 4, and limiting resistance 5, connected across one end of the section, and a usual track relay T connected across the other end of the section.

At the crossing are positioned warning lights L, for warning highway traffic of the approach of a train to the highway, and also there are provided usual crossing gates G, which can be raised and lowered, even manually, or automatically as by means of an electric motor, or a pneumatic motor, or other power means (not shown) in accordance with traffic conditions, as explained more fully below.

Assuming now that a train approaching the highway has entered the track section, track relay T willrelease its contact finger 6 to complete energizing circuits for the two lights L, which are readily apparent from the drawing.

The release of track relay T also energizes the heating winding l, of a. thermal relay TR, through a circuit which includes contact finger 8 and back point of a stick relay S. This thermal relay TR can be of any usual or desired construction, such as a bi-metallic element 9, which is heated by energization of the winding 1 to cause element 9 to close contact with a front contact l0, only after a predetermined time which time may be selected in accordance with requirements, and may be, for example, in the order of perhaps 20 seconds.

Upon thermal relay TR closing its contacts, the pick-up circuit for the relay S is completed, to energize this relay, the circuit including contact finger 6 and back point of relay T, contacts 9 and ii] of relay TR, and the winding of the relay S. Upon picking up, relay S sticks up through its own front point in series with the heating winding 1, whereby to decrease the flow of current through the heating winding enough to allow the thermal relay TR to restore itself to its normal shown position after the expiration of a short period of time.

The picking up of stick relay S closes an energizing circuit for a lock solenoid LS, which circuit includes contact finger l I and front point of relay S, whereby to cause the solenoid to pick up latch l2 and release a gate lever l3 for operation.

Lever l3 can be a lever for direct manual operation of the crossing gates G, or, if desired, the lever, or the latch l2, when moved from its shown position, can cause operation of an electric motor, or a pneumatic motor, or other power operated means, which in turn operates the gates.

From the above it will be clear that, upon the approach of a train, highway traffic is warned by the energization of the highway light signals L, and a sufiicient time thereafter is given, for example 20 seconds, before closing of the gates is possible, for the highway trafiic either to stop short of the tracks, or to cross the tracks, thereby avoiding danger of collision with the gates, or of being trapped on the track between the gates.

The above rather specific description of one form of this invention, has been given solely by way of example, and is not intended, in any manner whatsoever, in a limiting sense, the invention contemplating all such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended relay, an energizing circuit for the thermal relay claim. including a back point of the tnack relay and 5 Having described my invention I now claim: back point of the stick relay in series, for initiat- In a highway crossing signal system, in coming operation of the thermal relay to cause it to 5 bination, a. highway crossing a railway track, a close its front point a predetermined time interval visual signal, a crossing gate, manually operable following its energization, a pick up circuit for the means for controlling the gate, a track circuit adstick relay including a front point of the thermal jacent the crossing and including a track relay, a relay and a stick circuit including a back point stick relay, a thermal time element relay, means of the track relay and controlled solely by the 10 rendering the manually operable gate control track relay, and a circuit closed upon the picking means inoperative except while the stick relay is up of the stick relay and operative to render the in attracted position, an energizing circuit for manually operable gate control means operative. the signal including a back point of the track CYRIL H. DORSCHEL. 

